First Distance-of-Flight Instrument: Opening a New Paradigm in Mass Spectrometry

• Published in: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 110 - 117
• Main Authors: Graham, Alexander W. G., Ray, Steven J., Enke, Christie G., Barinaga, Charles J., Koppenaal, David W., Hieftje, Gary M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.01.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; ATOMIC IONS; Bioinformatics; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; DETECTION; distance-of-flight mass spectrometry; DOFMS; Exact sciences and technology; GLOW DISCHARGES; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; ION SOURCES; Mass spectrometers and related techniques; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; OPENINGS; Organic Chemistry; Physics; POSITION SENSITIVE DETECTORS; Proteomics; Research Article; SCREENS; Instrumentation; Mass spectrometry; Glow discharge; Mass spectroscopy; Glow discharges
• ISSN: 1044-0305; 1879-1123
• DOI: 10.1007/s13361-010-0005-8

A new instrumental concept, distance-of-flight mass spectrometry (DOFMS), is demonstrated experimentally. In DOFMS the mass-to-charge ratio of ions is determined by the distance each ion travels during a fixed time period; the mass spectrum is then recorded with a position-sensitive detector. The DOF approach provides a new way to separate and quantify components of complex samples. Initial results are demonstrated with a glow discharge ion source and a microchannel plate–phosphor screen detector assembly for atomic ion determination. This detection system demonstrated mass spectral peak widths of approximately 0.65 mm, corresponding to resolving powers of approximately 400–600 for a number of elemental samples.